Ukraine Armed Forces Command has started preparations to seize Viktorovka and Staromatveyevka villages in the near frontline area, near Mariupol, Deputy Commander of the Donetsk People’s Republic Eduard Basurin said referring to intelligence data.
“At the request of Donetsk Separate Tactical Group commander, the Headquarters of the 28th mechanized brigade is working on reduction of the distance between the combat positions of Ukraine and Donetsk troops in the area of Viktorovka and Staromatveyevka villages through seizure of these populated areas in the grey zone,” Basurin said.
According to the Donetsk Republic Intelligence, the local administrations are polling the residents for vacant houses to deploy Ukrainian troops there.
“We urge the world community to condemn the actions of Ukrainian authorities and ask OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to focus on the given two areas,” he said.
Donetsk People’s Republic Command recalls that Ukraine’s Armed Forces have been regularly seizing territories since the Set of Measures under the Minsk Agreements were approved (on Feb 12, 2015). Despite the peace plan, Ukraine has taken control over ten populated areas in the demilitarized zone within almost three years of Minsk-2.
The last seizure was reported on November 22, when Ukrainian troops occupied Gladosovo and Travernoe villages in Gorlovka district. They already deployed arms to the villages and created combat positions. The arbitrary seizure of territories by Kiev was discussed at the meeting of the Contact Group on November 29 with no proper response from the international community.
EADaily recalls that Donetsk troops have vowed retaliation and “symmetrical measures.”